PURPLE GIVES GOLD • TRIBUTE TO A BASEBALL LEGACY
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UMHBLIFE S U M M E R 2 018 | V O L U M E 37, N U M B ER 3 PRESIDENT Randy O’Rear, Ed.D. EDITOR-IN- CHIEF Paula Price Tanner, Ed.D. EDITOR Christi Mays GR APHIC DESIGNER Lauren Mendias PHOTOGR APHERS Blair Dupre Jessica Rodriguez Matt Lester Randy Yandell ’99 Steven Neaves CONTRIBUTOR Sarah Harborth James Stafford Jon Wallin UMHB LIFE IS PUBLISHED THREE TIMES A YEAR BY THE DIVISION OF COMMUNICATIONS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS. UMHB Box 8431 900 College Street Belton, Texas 76513 1-800-727-UMHB life.umhb.edu
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UMHBLIFE S U M M E R 2 0 1 8 | VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3
D E P A R T M E N T S
F E A T U R E S
6 | C A M P US L I F E Dr. Robert Gates reveals essential qualities of a good leader during McLane Lecture
F I G H T I N G P E R S EC U T I O N |12 UMHB grad Elijah Brown ’02 is on a mission to fight the increasing persecution of Christians globally.
7 | PHILANTHROPY Third annual Purple Gives Gold sees 48% increase in donations
S P EC I A L T R I B U T E |16 UMHB’s first male graduates finally get to walk across the graduation stage 50 years later.
9 | AT H L E T I C L I F E Cross country makes a comeback at UMHB 24 | A LU M N I L I F E Check out what’s happening in the lives of alumni and their families
A B A S E B A L L L EG AC Y |20 Special endowed scholarship created to honor UMHB’s first baseball coach, Charlie Robinson. O N T H E COV E R |A b r i l l i a n t f i r e wo r k s d i s p l ay l i g h t s up B awc o m St u d e n t U n i o n ove r Cr u s a d e r St a d i um at t h e M o m e nt u m C am p a i gn C e l e b rat i o n M ay 18. Photo by Steven Neaves
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’ve wanted to go into nursing since I was eight years old. I remember as I was growing up, a couple of my grandparents had to be hospitalized, and I saw how wonderful the nurses were. Since then, I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life like they were making in my grandparents’ lives. There is such an opportunity for ministry there because some people are in the hospital during what may be the hardest, most painful time in their lives. Having a good nurse can really make a difference in that time. I was a junior in high school when my mom and I came to visit UMHB to learn about its nursing program. After the visit, when we got back in the car, we just looked at each other and knew this was the place I should be. It just felt right. It felt like home. I knew about the Loyalty Fund Scholarship and I started studying and working toward making the grade I needed on the SAT to qualify. I knew I needed a little help to come here, and I was motivated to get that. I think it’s amazing what UMHB donors do to help students come here, and I am extremely grateful. I want to tell them, “Thank you!” It really does make a difference in students’ lives, and I think it’s wonderful that they give so students can experience what I have experienced here.
Katie Gressett Junior, Nursing major Houston, Texas
Special fireworks event celebrates successful end to Momentum Campaign UMHB celebrated the close of its recent fundraising efforts with a bang when the university hosted a special fireworks extravaganza in Crusader Stadium for the donors who made Momentum: The Campaign for Mary Hardin-Baylor such a success. More than 600 guests enjoyed music and more than a dozen tables of carnival-inspired foods including cotton candy, fried Oreos, and Banana Nutella Cru-sants. Just before 9 p.m., President Randy O’Rear addressed the crowd, thanking the donors for their support of the university’s mission and highlighting some of the campus improvements that had been made possible through their generosity. UMHB publicly launched the Momentum campaign in 2012 with the ambitious goal of raising $60 million. By the end of 2017, a total of $82,190,901 had been given, exceeding the original goal by more than $22 million. Those donations were made by 4,488 different donors. The campaign identified six areas where improvements could escalate the university’s effectiveness and growth: student life, visual arts, performing arts, nursing education, football, and scholarships. By the campaign’s end, donors to Momentum had given $18.6 million for scholarships, and the face of the campus had been dramatically changed by the addition of six new facilities and the repurposing of several more.
Just after sunset, the skies over Crusader Stadium were lit in a brilliant display of fireworks to thank donors for giving so generously during the Momentum Campaign. During pre-fireworks festivities, patrons enjoyed carnival-inspired foods stationed around the stadium.
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New NP program offers acute care focus The new AG-ACNP program will give nursing students more training in critical care settings such as intensive care units, emergency rooms, and cardiac step-down units.
The Scott & White School of Nursing at UMHB recently announced the launch of an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AG-ACNP) master’s degree that will equip graduates with the skills to practice in high pressure areas within acute care settings. The program comes in response to representatives of the Baylor Scott & White Healthcare team reaching out to the university about developing specialized training for acute care settings. “It’s truly coming from the need in the community,” said Janice Walker, chief nurse executive for Baylor Scott & White’s Central Texas Division. “We have a lot of critical care transfer patients who have suffered traumas, strokes, or heart attacks, and we need to provide top-quality care for those patients.” Officials from Baylor Scott & White contacted the university after noticing a need for advanced practice nurses with special training in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and other settings. Baylor Scott & White’s Med4
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ical Center in Temple currently has 75 acute or critical care beds. “It takes an army to care for that many patients,” Walker said. She said physician partners at Baylor Scott & White asked UMHB to partner in developing the program to provide more mentoring, more education, and more hours in critical care training. Walker believes that the new program’s focus on critical care will make graduates better suited to work as advanced practice extensions to physicians in those arenas. “They could do pre-round checks, write orders, and help manage cases,” Walker said. As part of its partnership with UMHB in developing the program, Baylor Scott & White has committed to offering preceptorships to students. “We’ve hand-picked clinical sites, making them a mixture of critical care settings, cardiac step-down units, and emergency rooms,” Walker said. Dr. Sharon Souter, dean of the Scott & White School of Nursing, said
she is really excited about the new program. “The physicians have agreed to come to campus and do some lecturing and help our students acquire skills, practicing them in our simulation hospital and clinical labs,” she said. Classes for the program begin this fall, and are open to nurses with bachelor of science in nursing degrees. Prospective students who have experience working in some type of critical care setting will be given preference to join the program each semester. The new program will be offered in two forms: a dedicated master of science degree and a post-master’s certificate for nurses who have already earned their MSN degrees. As with all the university’s graduate-level nursing degrees, the AG-ACNP program will be delivered in a hybrid format. This means that students complete most of their coursework online and only spend one Friday and Saturday a month in the classroom. “Most of my graduates would work in an ER or an acute-care facility if they could,” Souter said. “This program provides new opportunities for our students to become the type of care providers they may want to be.” For more information about the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AG-ACNP) degree or postmaster’s certificate, nurses can call the Scott & White School of Nursing at 254-295-4662.
Law students test defense skills at court
Future attorneys got a chance to try out their skills during a teen court session at Harker Heights City Hall recently. A team of nine Constitutional Law II students represented four juvenile defendants
who had pleaded guilty in general court to Class C misdemeanors. The teen infractions included speeding, curfew violation, possession of drug paraphernalia, running a stop sign, and no seatbelt on a passenger. In teams of two, the UMHB students handled the punishment phase for the cases for the four defendants against the prosecuting attorneys, who were students from Harker Heights High School. “This is a great community event that showcases students who want to set good examples serving Central Texas,” said Harker Heights Municipal Court Judge Dr. Billy Ray Hall Jr., an adjunct professor at UMHB, teaching Constitutional Law II.
One of the requirements for Constitutional Law II was to complete a moot court training exercise. The students spent several weeks in class training in various aspects of the court before their big day. “The interest to participate in the Harker Heights Teen Court was overwhelming,” Hall said. “This is the first time Harker Heights Teen Court has invited college students to participate in the court, and the first time UMHB students have had the chance.” UMHB Constitutional Law II students Joel Loua and Vincent Rapp listen as the prosecuting attorneys give their statements.
Two alumni join development team UMHB alumni Tucker Glaske and Joel Shoemake are back on campus as directors of development. Glaske is a familiar face in the campus community, having successfully served as assistant director of development and director of development from 2012-2017. He graduated from UMHB with a bachelor in business administration in 2012 and a master’s in business information systems in December 2016. Glaske was a vital part of Momentum: The Campaign for Mary Hardin-Baylor during his five years in development. He successfully secured major gifts for scholarships, new buildings, and the endowment while managing a portfolio of over 60 businesses and individual donors who invested in the campus. Shoemake graduated from UMHB
Tucker Glaske ’16 in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in church music. He brings a background in sales, marketing, business development, client relations, and corporate strategy to his new position. In his previous jobs, he led sales and marketing teams and frequently achieved top salesperson status. When asked about the prospect of coming home to UMHB to serve in this role, Shoemake said, “My family would never have been able to send me to UMHB without generous
Joel Shoemake ’99 scholarships, which I know are not possible without the sacrificial giving of UMHB’s donor network. The idea of serving the university that literally changed the course of my life is incredibly exciting.” He and his wife, Erin, who is also a UMHB graduate, currently reside in Hewitt with their daughter, Naomi. Both Glaske and Shoemake are excited to use their gifts to further the expansion of UMHB through their work in development. CAMPUS L I F E
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Gates offers ‘key ingredients’ to good leadership during 2018 McLane Lecture
Vision, integrity, deep conviction, self-confidence, courage, common decency, and a sense of humor: these are the seven qualities essential to a good leader, said former Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert Gates during the 2018 McLane Lecture on April 18. “These are the key ingredients to leadership in every aspect of life,” said Gates, who served as the 22nd secretary of defense, from 2006 to 2011, under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He is the only secretary of defense in U.S. history to be asked to remain in that office by a newly elected president. On Gates’ last day, Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor. Speaking to an audience of students, community leaders, and Fort Hood representatives, Gates emphasized that good leaders can transform under-performing or broken organizations. “Leadership is about more than just managing well,” he said. “A leader is one who acts as a guide and who shows the way.”
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“For a real leader, personal virtues like self-reliance, self-control, honor, truthfulness, and morality are absolute, not subject to compromise or dilution depending on the current mood of society or prevalent forces of popular culture,” Gates continued. “These are the building blocks of character and integrity, and only on that foundation can true leadership be built.” Gates reflected on one of the greatest tests of his own leadership, the day he signed orders deploying the American military to Iraq and Afghanistan. He recalled visiting injured soldiers in hospitals and consoling the widows of fallen soldiers. “Most of you will never have such painful experiences, but every leader in every organization will face challenges and crises,” Gates said. “How you respond to such challenges will depend on who you are and what your character is.” At the conclusion of his lecture, Gates took questions from students. One student asked him about the unique lessons he learned as he rose
through the ranks of the CIA, from entry-level employee to director. “Young people today set a path for themselves. They say, ‘I’m here, and I want to go there,’” Gates said. “If you are too focused on one thing, you might miss opportunities that will change your whole life. The key is to be able to see opportunities and be willing to take risks.” Gates joined the CIA in 1966 and spent nearly 27 years as an intelligence professional. During that period, he spent nearly nine years at the National Security Council, the White House, serving presidents from both political parties. Gates served as director of Central Intelligence from 1991 until 1993, becoming the only career officer in CIA’s history to rise from entry-level employee to director. Prior to serving as secretary of defense, Gates was the president of Texas A&M University, beginning in 2002, and had served as interim dean of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M from 1999 to 2001. Gates currently serves as the chancellor of William and Mary College in Williamsburg, VA, and is a partner in the consulting firm RiceHadleyGates LLC with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley. The McLane Lecture brings internationally recognized speakers to UMHB each year to share their experiences and insights about leadership, government, business, and faith. The annual lecture is offered through the generosity of Temple residents Elizabeth and Drayton McLane Jr.
Purple Gives Gold sees 48% increase in donations This year’s third annual Purple Gives Gold event was a huge success with donations seeing a 48% increase over last year’s. The one-day giving campaign and student educational event was held on April 11 and raised $70,329 for student scholarships. Last year’s event raised $47,525 for student scholarships. There were 159 donors which consisted of 23 student gifts, 44 first-time gifts (including students), nine recurring gifts of $20 or more, and six new annual named scholarships. “The funds help ease the financial burden for many students who, without it, might not be able to experience the Christian higher education
that characterizes UMHB,” said Dr. Rebecca O’Banion, vice president for development. “Each semester, many students indicate that UMHB has affected their relationship with Christ in ways that have significantly changed their lives.” Student Foundation, a student organization on campus that works with the development department and Alumni Relations, hosted the event which aims at educating students about donors and scholarships. It gives students an opportunity to reflect and be thankful for all that donors have provided for past, current, and future students. “Currently, 87 percent of UMHB
students receive some form of financial aid, much of which is in the form of scholarships,” O’Banion said. “Without scholarships, we simply wouldn’t be able to provide enough financial aid for deserving students who really need it.”
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Olympic torch donated to UMHB
In the winter of 1980, Gene Deutscher carried history. As a member of the relay team tasked with bringing the Olympic flame to the games in Lake Placid, NY, he became part of a tradition dating back centuries. On Sunday, April 22, that tradition came to life at UMHB, when Deutscher donated his Olympic torch to the campus. “UMHB is the perfect place for the torch,” he said. “The university promotes the importance of mind, body, and spirit through the classroom, physical fitness, and the infusion of Christ in every aspect of the student’s college experience.” During the dedication ceremony, President Randy O’Rear and Deutscher unveiled the torch and its display case in the lobby of the Brentham Fitness Center in the Frank and Sue Mayborn Campus Center. His Olympic torch journey began in 1978 when he was working as the CEO of a hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His executive assistant had heard about the opportunity and encouraged Deutscher to apply to
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represent Texas at the games. He was a dedicated runner who was training for marathons; he was also incredibly busy running the hospital and raising his family. His administrative assistant pushed him to enter despite his hesitation, and he was selected to represent the state of Texas in the 1980 Winter Olympics. He was one of 26 men and 26 women who represented every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and the village of Lake Placid. The 52-member relay team carried the Olympic flame from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia and ran it to the Olympic village in New York. The route of 1,000 miles was designed to retrace the American Revolution Bicentennial Trail and took the team eight days to complete. Deutscher and his teammates were invited to participate in the opening ceremony, medal ceremonies during the games, and the closing ceremonies. “They created a family for us,” he said, adding that each of the torch runners remains in touch today through email and newsletters.
Top Left, Gene Deutscher is honored with a plaque commemorating his donation of the torch he carried in the 1980 Olympic games. Above, Deutscher represented Texas on the 52-member relay torch team during the 1980 Olympic games. Following the closing ceremony of the games, Deutscher and the rest of the runners were each surprised with their own torches at a luncheon. Since that day, the torch was placed in a closet for safekeeping. Deutscher knew there was a “special place” the torch should be, but that “place” didn’t become evident until he struck up a friendship with UMHB Development Director Susan Kolodziejczyk. “We talked a lot about UMHB and how Christ-centered the university is and that made me very comfortable,” he said. “The more I talked to the people at UMHB, it became clear that donating the torch to be on display there was a Christ-centered initiative. It was an honor for me to be chosen, and it is an honor for it to now be on display at UMHB. I know the torch has a good home for eternity.”
Cross country returns to campus after 17-year hiatus Men’s and women’s cross country athletes with the Tornados. Aldaco is teams are once again joining the a 1999 graduate of Texas Tech UniverUMHB sports program this fall with sity, and he was a four-year letterman new Head Coach Alex Aldaco. for the Red Raiders’ cross country “We are excited to add men’s and and track and field teams. He served women’s cross country to our athletic as team captain as a senior and also department and expand our offerings earned Academic All-Big XII honors. to potential student-athletes,” said Aldaco spent one year as a graduate Vice President for Athletics Randy assistant coach with the Texas Tech Mann. “We look forward to building distance running program before a competitive program, and I think leaving for Concordia. Aldaco and his that hiring Alex Aldaco gives us a wife, Brooke, have five children. He great head start founded the website in that direction. TXRunning.com and He has a proven still serves as the track record for site’s webmaster. building success“I am eager to ful programs, and continue my career I am happy to at UMHB,” Aldaadd him to our co said. “When I coaching staff.” visited the campus, Aldaco joins I was always imUMHB after a pressed with the 14-year stint as amazing spirit and head coach of the enthusiasm that I men’s and womencountered, from en’s cross country the faculty, staff and teams at Constudents. I undercordia University stand the difficulties Coach Alex Aldaco in Austin. He also of starting a program started the Tornados men’s and wom- from scratch. It takes the support en’s track and field programs during of all departments for success. I feel his time in Austin. Aldaco started all UMHB is the perfect place to get the four of those programs from scratch support needed to have a successful and was voted American Southwest cross country program and add to Conference Women’s Cross Country UMHB’s winning tradition. I am excitCoach of the Year after leading Coned to have the opportunity to become cordia to the ASC Championship in a part of the Crusader athletic tradi2012. He also guided Concordia cross tion.” country and track and field to three — Jon Wallin, UMHB Sports Information ASC runner-up finishes during his tenure and coached 44 All-Conference
Twilleager earns title for fourth year running
David Twilleager For the fourth consecutive year, UMHB athletic video coordinator David Twilleager has been named the NCAA Division III Video Coordinator of the Year. Twilleager, who is in his ninth year in the UMHB athletic department, received the award from the College Sports Video Association in May during its national convention in Wisconsin. Twilleager handles video needs for all 12 of the Cru’s varsity athletic programs and is responsible for all coaches’ game and practice videos, video streaming of live athletic events, highlight videos, and the athletic department’s YouTube channel. The NCAA Division III awards are selected in balloting of the CSVA Executive Board. Twilleager is a 2008 graduate of UMHB and earned his master’s degree from UMHB in 2009. He and his wife, Sarah, have four children.
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Basketball teams finish season strong, breaking multiple school records
At left, senior wing Aubrie King finished the season with the new school record for career three-pointers, while, above, sophomore guard Kendall Rollins was named ASC West Division Player of the Year and earned a spot on the D3hoops.com All-South Region Team.
The 2017-18 season was one to remember for both of the UMHB basketball programs. The Cru women used a 10-game, midseason win streak to help propel the team to an NCAA Division III-era school record with 23 victories on the season. UMHB won the American Southwest Conference West Division for just the second time in program history and advanced to the ASC Tournament championship game before falling to East Texas Baptist 71-70. The Cru was regionally ranked by the NCAA and received votes in both the WBCA and D3hoops. com Top 25 polls for the first time in program history this season. The
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UMHB women narrowly missed out on their first NCAA Division III National Championships bid in program history. The team finished the season with a 23-5 overall record. Senior point guard Meghan Turner set a new UMHB Division III-era record for career assists. Sophomore guard Kendall Rollins was named ASC West Division Player of the Year, and she also earned a spot on the D3hoops. com All-South Region Team. The Cru also placed a total of five players on the ASC All-Conference and All-West Division Teams. The men’s basketball team set a new ASC record by advancing to the
conference tournament for the 18th time in program history. The Cru fell to East Texas Baptist in the quarterfinals by an 86-82 score to finish the season at 17-9 overall. Senior wing Aubrie King and junior guard Demarius Cress both broke the school record for career three-pointers made, with King finishing the season with that mark. Cress should reclaim that record early next season. The UMHB men were also well represented on the ASC All-Conference and All-Division Teams. Junior wing LaKendric Hyson was voted ASC West Division Newcomer of the Year, and the Cru placed a total of six players on those honor squads.
— Jon Wallin
UMHB Sports Information
Davis knocks cancer out of the park Watching Caleb Davis rip a threerun homer or take down a runner at home, you would never suspect this senior outfielder had anything other than a normal childhood. But at the tender age of nine, Caleb’s world, which normally revolved around sports and school, suddenly became about surviving cancer. An abnormal mass was discovered on the side of his neck. A biopsy revealed he had stage 4 rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of muscle cancer. “This was a complete shock to me and my family,” said Caleb, who graduated this May. “Being so young, I did not understand exactly what it meant for me to have cancer. My only encounter with cancer was that I knew my mom’s father had died from it. That was something that definitely scared me, but I was ready to embrace the battle I knew I was about to face.” This fun-loving, energetic kid began cancer treatment that involved 42
weeks of chemotherapy and two months of radiation. “The whole year of treatments was very difficult for me and my family, and often times it was hard just accepting the fact that I actually had cancer,” he said. “It was a very long and overwhelming year, but thanks to support from family and friends, and by the grace of God, I was in remission by January of 2006. I would not wish the experience upon anyone, but it was one that definitely brought my family closer together, and my faith with the Lord grew substantially.” During his battle with cancer, Caleb concentrated on trying to remain as normal as possible. “During treatments I continued to play sports whenever the doctor would allow it, but often times I was too weak and sick to participate,” he said. “When I was able to play, I used sports, baseball in particular, as an escape from the harsh reality I was living.”
Because of this, he developed a newfound appreciation for the game of baseball and for life. “I try to carry this same appreciation with me,” he said. “I realized through this that things can be taken from you without a moment’s notice, so I try to appreciate things more and live life to the fullest because you never know what God has planned next.” When Caleb began exploring different universities to attend, he said UMHB was the best fit. “It also helped that my brother, Riley, was already in school here and we’ve always been really close, so that definitely influenced my decision,” he said. “UMHB was a good opportunity to continue my education in a Christian environment.” Caleb and his brother, Riley, who also played baseball at UMHB, graduated together this past May – Caleb with a bachelor’s degree in sport management and Riley with a master’s in sport administration.
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Confronting Persecution
Around the globe Christians are attacked, imprisoned, and murdered because of their beliefs. Alumnus Elijah Brown wants to do something about it. By James Stafford
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Dr. Elijah Brown, '02 General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance
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very single day, two Christian churches are attacked, three Christians are abducted, five are detained without trial and imprisoned, and six are sexually assaulted or forced into marriage. These are some of the injustices Christians are facing around the world, according to Open Doors, a Christian non-profit committed to supporting followers of Christ facing persecution around the world. In March, UMHB alumnus Dr. Elijah Brown (’02), General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, came to campus and delivered a special Manning Chapel Lecture entitled “Revival and Persecution: The Story of the Global Church Today.” Drawing from the results of a PEW Research Center study of international religious persecution, Brown said Christians are being harassed around the world to a greater extent than any other religion. “Many Baptists around the world continue to face real challenges for living out their faith. In fact, 78% of Baptists live in a context of high to very high persecution,” Brown said. “That’s about 35 million Baptists.” According to PEW, most of the persecution experienced by Christians is in heavily Muslim countries
in the Middle East and North Africa. However those are not the only regions in which Christians and Baptists face trials and tribulations. In fact, the group found that Christians faced harassment of varying levels in 128 countries around the world. The organization Open Doors points to a few trends behind most of the persecution facing Christians today. First among the trends is the spread of radical Islam. This movement is marked by efforts to bring many parts of the world under Sharia law. Another threat is posed by the rise of religious nationalism. This trend is evident is several Asian countries where governments co-opt the majority religion and use it to marginalize Christians in the area. Examples of recent religious nationalism movements can be found in Myanmar and Sri Lanka, where Buddhist nationalism has been growing increasingly powerful. “In the last 18 months, you’ve had 25 Baptists in Russia arrested and fined an average two weeks of salary for sharing the hope of the Gospel,” Brown said. The nation of Syria has been torn apart by crisis. Open Doors has listed it as one of the most dangerous places on earth for Christians. They found that
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Violence against citizens has so escalated, where religious freedom restrictions are so tight, that the daily reality of Christians is impacted by the very real possibility that their government could be planning massive civilian killing. —Dr. Elijah Brown
the greatest threat arises from the extended family members of converts from the area’s main religion, Islam. Brown shared stories from the region, where nine Baptist churches face a seemingly never-ending, uphill battle. Brown spoke to a Baptist leader in the country over the phone, and her words struck him deeply. “She said, ‘Every day we are doing ministry in the context of extreme trauma, and war, and injustice, and refugees,’” Brown recalled. “She said, ‘some days I lose the ability to pray, and that’s when I remember that the church in the West is praying for us.’” In January, Brown was at the forefront of the effort to address an ambiguous Bolivian law that some worried could be used to target Christian evangelists for prosecution and imprisonment. The law, which was dedicated to combatting human trafficking,
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included language that prohibited recruiting and transporting people as part of a religious or worship organization. Anyone found guilty of violating the law could be penalized with 7 to 12 years in prison. In a letter to Bolivia’s Legislative Assembly, Brown wrote that the law’s ambiguity “could lead to unintended restrictions on religious freedom and to the direct persecution of churches and individuals of faith.” The pressure from the Baptist World Alliance and other Christian groups ultimately inspired Bolivian President Evo Morales to announce that the government would be repealing the legislation. Another area of concern is the Central African Republic where, since 2012, 77 churches have been damaged or destroyed. Recently, a Baptist church trainer in the region was pulled from his vehicle and beaten to death. Brown recalled talking to the man’s widow.
“I spent an hour grieving with her and praying with her and her family, who are just absolutely devastated and heartbroken,” Brown said. Unfortunately, the threat of death is a very real concern for many Christian evangelists. “The specter of genocide continues to haunt,” Brown said, “most notably in the declared genocides of Christians, Yazidis, and other minorities in Iraq.” That threat is true in mission fields around the globe. “Forty percent of all Baptists - 18 million Baptists live in a context where government-sponsored, mass, state killing, up to the point of genocide, is a real possibility,” Brown said. This level of state-sponsored violence can be hard for Christians in the United States to comprehend. “We are talking about a life in which the human rights situation has so deteriorated, that violence
above: Pakistani Christians protest in Lahore in 2015 againt suicide bombing attacks on churches by Taliban militants.
against citizens has so escalated, where religious freedom restrictions are so tight, that the daily reality of Christians is impacted by the very real possibility that their government could be planning massive civilian killing,” Brown said. As overwhelming as the plight might seem, Brown offered advice on how Christians in the United States can pray for their persecuted brothers and sisters overseas. “Scholars tell us that, on average, every day 20 Christians somewhere around the world are martyred for their faith,” Brown said. “One of the things I do is wake up each morning and say, ‘Lord, I don’t know where the 20 are today, but you do, so be with them today.”
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By Christi Mays
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orking long hours as a shift manager at a fast food joint in Belton, Arthur “Yogi” Prinz had aspirations of one day finishing his degree so he could finally get his dream job as a coach. Living just blocks from UMHB on 13th Street with his wife and newborn, Prinz would walk to class before heading off to work his night shift. Juggling his studies with work and family life, it took him 10 long years to finish up his degree, but that was really nothing compared to the nearly five decades it took before he actually got to walk across the graduation stage. That’s because in 1969, Prinz was one of the first male graduates at UMHB, and in those early days when the school was in the process of becoming co-educational, there was still a provincial outlook as the university explored this uncharted territory. The school, which was called Mary Hardin-Baylor College at that time, was officially still a college for women. There were a few men on campus known as the “Campus Boys,” many of whom worked in exchange for college credits. Men were allowed to take courses up to their senior year, but then had to transfer to a four-year college to graduate. For Prinz, moving out of Belton, where he had grown up and was now raising his family, was out of the question. “At that time, the only other four-year colleges were in Austin and Waco,” he said. “For me to transfer to another school to finish up my degree would have been almost impossible.” In September of 1967, the Board of Trustees had voted in favor of allowing men to complete their senior years and earn degrees – a decision that didn’t sit well among the alumni and some students. “Better Dead Than Co-ed” was a common slogan seen on the protest signs around campus. Because of the resistance, male graduates were not allowed to walk the graduation stage and receive their diplomas with their female classmates until the fall of 1971. During this time of transition, the male graduates from the classes of 1968 through 1971 had “special arrangements” to receive their diplomas. Only one male, a soldier from Fort Hood, had quietly received a diploma in 1968. In 1969, just prior to his graduation date, Prinz and his other male classmates, were informed they would receive their diplomas at a baccalaureate ceremony. After working 10 long years for his degree,
Walking the Stage
At top, Jerry Troy '69 walks across the stage at UMHB commencement exercises this spring, receiving a Bible from President Dr. Randy O'Rear, followed by John Austin '71, center, and Bill Saunders '70 who are congratulated by Goard of Trustees Chair Jack Phelps..
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"Campus Boys" Eleven male graduates from the classes of 1968-1971 were among those invited to return to campus for a special recognition at this year’s spring commencement. They are, front row, from left, Larry Tomlin '70, Billy Johnson '70, Adolf Mischtian '71, Bill Elliott '71, John Stephenson 70, and Jerry Troy '69; and back row, Jerry Wiley '69, Arthur “Yogi” Prinz '69, John Austin '71, Bill Smith '70, and Bill Saunders '70.
Prinz says the idea made him “bow up a little,” and he decided not to attend the baccalaureate. However, in the end, he was admittedly just happy to finally get the diploma so he could finally become a coach. “They could have given me my diploma at the back door of the Dairy Queen, and it would have been OK,” he said with a chuckle. “All I wanted was my diploma.” That piece of paper proved to be his ticket to a successful career as a coach and teacher, first at Troy High School, then Moody High School, and then back in Troy. As head coach at Moody, his track team won the state championship in 1975. Two years later, he retired from coaching and became a farmer, rancher, and the owner of a feed store. He was surprised this spring to receive a letter from UMHB inviting him to officially walk across the stage at the spring commencement ceremony. On May 5, along with the school’s 162nd graduating class, the university paid special tribute to the first male graduates of UMHB. All male graduates from the classes of 1968 through 1971 were invited to return to campus for the special recognition at commencement, and 11 men came and participated in the ceremony. Each of them had received his diploma, so each was presented a Bible engraved with his name and class year instead. 18
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When Prinz received the invitation, he initially thought the idea was “silly.” After all, it had been 49 years. After a little convincing from his daughters, who are also UMHB grads, he agreed. “I’m glad I did it now because it really meant the world to me and my family,” he said. “Rewarding. That is the best word to describe it. There was a subtlety that I had never experienced at that level. I’m glad UMHB did this for us.” Even though he and his male classmates were originally excluded from walking the stage with their female classmates, Prinz can honestly say he’s never held a grudge. The self-described “Crusader at heart” proudly wears his UMHB gear around town, and his two daughters and a granddaughter are also UMHB graduates. “It was a good experience for me,” he said. “I’m proud of the school. I’m proud that I’m a graduate of the school and, now, I’m proud I walked across the stage of the school.” ••• Adolf Mischtian, from the class of 1971, has an all too similar story. In 1960, he graduated from Temple High School and began attending Temple College. Shortly thereafter, he got married and also became a father. “Once you had a family back then, it was kind
"Up with the Purple" Far left: Several years ago, Arthur “Yogi” Prinz’s daughters presented him with the words to the alumni/senior song, “Up With the Purple.” In 1969, when Prinz graduated, UMHB was still transitioning from an all-female school to co-ed, and the song was only given to the female graduates. He proudly displays the song in his living room. Left: Adolf Mischtian ’71 not only got to walk across the graduation stage at this year's commencement, but he also got to hand his granddaughter, Kristen Hoelscher, her diploma for her master’s degree.
of hard to move someplace else to go to school,” he said. Working about 50 hours a week at his day job at Temple Furniture, most of the classes he took at UMHB were at night. He has fond memories of his teachers and recalls they were supportive of him and the other male students, which helped propel him toward his long and successful career in the business world. Over the years, he worked for Gresham Office Supply, Mobile Chemical, Tenneco Inc., and then as a realtor and landlord in Temple. Because he worked long hours throughout his college years, he said he didn’t have time to be active in what most would consider typical college extracurricular activities. This was just as well, though, because in those early days when men were finally able to take courses, they weren’t allowed to participate in much else. “We men couldn’t do much of anything. It was all for the girls,” he recalls. “We couldn’t take PE courses. We couldn’t hold office. We couldn’t even participate in the Easter pageant. Jesus and all the apostles were girls with beards.” Unlike the three previous years where male grads received their diplomas at baccalaureate, Mischtian’s class of 1971 was the first allowed into the chapel to get their diplomas.
“Administration walked in first, then the women, then faculty, and then the men,” he explained. “They let us sit behind the women, and when it was time to get our diplomas, they let the men come to the foot of the stage, and they handed them to us there. Knowing we wouldn’t walk across that stage – that was a little sour. But the thing was, I was very happy they let men graduate. My diploma was the important thing.” When Mischtian received his invitation to this year's ceremony, he knew right away he would attend. That’s because his granddaughter, Kristen Hoelscher, was also going to be walking the stage to receive her master’s degree. Kristen, who played soccer for UMHB, said it was special seeing her grandfather up on that stage. He was her “biggest supporter” while she was at UMHB, rarely missing any of her soccer games. She could “count on one hand how many games he had missed.” “We would play in 30-degree weather, and he was there,” she said. “He drove to all of them, even the ones out of state.” So when it came time for Kristen to walk across the graduation stage to receive her diploma, Mischtian, who was sitting on stage with the other male graduates, got the honor of handing it to her. “That made it worth waiting the 50 years to walk across the stage,” Mischtian said. “And it was worth the 23 years,” Kristen chimed in. F E A T U R E S
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Bringing baseball — and a legacy — to UMHB By Christi Mays
I
t was a scorching hot Friday morning, and all the grass on campus was baked a golden brown from the blistering July sun. The year was 1977, and Charlie and Janice Robinson were just pulling onto campus for the first time. “I feel God here,” Robinson recalled thinking. “That first impression was strong.” Just days before that first fateful step onto campus, Robinson had been offered an assistant principal position at a school in South Texas. Excited about the promotion, he was primed to accept the position when he got an unsolicited phone call from Dr. Bobby E. Parker, who was the president of UMHB at the time. “Is this Charlie Robinson?” came a deep, raspy voice on the other end of the line. “We need to talk. You may be our first full-time baseball coach.” Parker had gotten Robinson’s name from a mutual acquaintance and called him about starting up the new men’s baseball program at UMHB. Robinson was intriguiged by the idea: the president of a university had just called him out of the blue to practically offer him a head baseball coaching position at a university! But then, the urgency of the situation hit: it was Thursday evening and he had to respond
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about the principal position on Monday. He called Dr. Parker back and said he wanted to learn more about the head coach position, but he had to do it “tomorrow.” The very next day – that fateful, hot July morning – he and Janice made the trek from Houston to Belton and pulled onto the UMHB campus. It was a whirlwind day that instantly changed the course of his life and baseball at UMHB. “We toured Belton and the campus that day and then drove up to a bare field,” Robinson said. It was a unique time in UMHB history. The school had recently become coed, and administrators were looking for new ways to recruit men to campus. Up until that point, baseball existed as a club program, but Dr. Parker’s vision was to create an intercollegiate program, which he thought would help the school gain some notoriety. UMHB was looking for a coach to build the baseball program from the ground up. “There was a baseball field, if you could call it that. It wasn’t even as nice as the high school field,” Robinson recalled. “None of the club program players were coming back the next year, and there wasn’t even a budget. We would be operating by the seat of our pants. We would be starting with nothing.” As the Robinsons walked to their cars to go back home after the interview and tour, Dr. Parker reiterated that he would have quite a challenge ahead of him if he took the job. He told Robinson to “go home and pray about it” and that they would talk in a week. As Dr. Parker got in his car to leave, Robinson ran over and knocked on his window, confused. “I wasn’t sure if he had offered me the job or not,” Robinson recalled. “He told me the ball was in my court and to call him.” So Robinson had one day to make a decision – take the assistant principal job or move across the state to a university he had never heard of to start a baseball program with no funds, no players, no equipment, and a bare field. “My head was spinning. But I knew. God was speaking to me,” he said. Nevertheless, he wanted confirmation, so he called a fellow believer when he got home and asked him. “How am I supposed to know what to do?”
Charlie and Janice Robinson
“Have you prayed?” the friend asked back. “Not a panicky prayer, but a real prayer? ‘God, where do you want me and my family?’ Period. That’s all you need to pray.” Robinson prayed that prayer in earnest that night. “I had the biggest decision of my life, but after I prayed that prayer, I slept like a baby,” he said. The next morning, he awoke to Janice shaking him. She was eager to know what he was thinking. Without even hesitating, he said, “Belton!” and that’s what she had been thinking all morning, too. Exactly one week later, the Robinsons pulled into Belton a second time with all their stuff packed in a U-Haul and started to work on that bare field. Robinson knew baseball at UMHB was going away if he didn’t succeed. He had one chance, so he quickly scheduled a trial camp and began calling the boys who had played on the club league, begging them to make one last trek to Belton – to give baseball at UMHB one more shot. On camp day, on that bare field, with radar guns borrowed from the Belton Police Department, the first UMHB baseball team was born.
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“Every one of the boys came back to see me. With them and a few guys from camp, God blessed us with a team,” Robinson said. In loving fun, Robinson teased his players, saying, “‘Guys, we are like Daniel Boone. One day, you will look back and see that you were part of this.’ “It was about as Spartan as you can get.” The players borrowed lawn equipment from the maintenance crew to work the fields. Pregame meals consisted of bologna sandwiches. Game uniforms were washed and hung to dry at the Robinson home over on 13th Street, just north of campus. “Through all of this, it was so right that this was where we were supposed to be and what we were supposed to do,” he said. At the age of 27, Robinson wasn’t much older than his players when he arrived at UMHB. He had earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1971 and a master’s degree in 1973, both at Lamar University in Beaumont. He taught biology and coached in public schools before coming to UMHB, which was only his third job out of college. But coaching wasn’t the only reason God brought him to UMHB. “Coach Rob was a disciplinarian and a leader. He was a spiritual advisor. He was all the things this
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program needed in 1977,” said UMHB Head Baseball Coach Ben Shipp, who played on Robinson’s first team. “Coach Rob not only helped us learn in baseball, but also in life. I think his legacy was in the relationships he built with the players.” Shipp said most of the players on the team were there because they were “looking for a second chance.” “A lot of the guys really needed that extra hand to guide them through college,” Shipp said. “It was a rough group of guys his first year.” The bonds Robinson formed over those four years have remained the four decades since. “He’s never been out of my life,” Shipp said. “He’s been a good sounding board for me, and he’s been involved in the lives of my children, both from a personal and a spiritual side.” Coming from a high school program that was “all about winning,” former player Ken Holden said having a coach-to-player relationship with Robinson was refreshing because of the positive mental role he played in his life. “During my time at UMHB, I needed to grow up mentally, and Charlie helped me do just that,” Holden said. “The years after playing for UMHB, it became apparent that my journey that led me to play
Endowed scholarship named in Robinson’s honor
Far left, Players pose for the 1980-81 team picture. Above, Charlie Robinson in 1978 after he was named head coach for the UMHB Crusaders.
baseball for the CRU was life-changing.” After his four years as baseball coach, Robinson became dean of students at UMHB for two years and then vice president of external affairs for six years. After that, he went to work at First Baptist Church Belton, while teaching part-time at UMHB and holding alternate chapel. Today, Robinson spends his time serving as an international evangelist, planning trips to places like Haiti and Kenya. He and Janice still live close to campus and still attend the baseball games. Janice agrees with her husband’s sentiments about the special role the team members played in their lives. “These boys became our sons,” she said, recalling the days when players would take turns coming to their house for bean and cornbread dinners. “This was just an amazing time in our lives, and we’ve remained close with these young men through the years.” The facilities were lacking, but expectations were high back in those days, they recalled. “But God just did something really special with the bond between us and those guys,” Robinson said. “We just went and played and had a good time.”
Exactly 40 years ago, there was a new coach on campus who not only created an up swell in school pride, but whose spirit and inspiration haven’t left since. Under the leadership of Coach Charlie Robinson, the first UMHB baseball team was created and now those players are helping keep his legacy alive through an endowed scholarship in his honor – The Charlie and Janice Robinson Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship started at Homecoming 2015 when players from the first UMHB baseball team got together for a reunion. “Emotion in the room was high,” said Kelly Boggs, director of development. “Every one of these guys was talking about the difference Coach Robinson made in their lives. He was strict, but their lives were impacted dramatically. Not only did they love Charlie, I could tell how much they loved UMHB.” It was at that moment the idea of the scholarship was born, and this past October the plans were revealed. “When Coach Rob came here, it was not the UMHB it is today,” said UMHB Head Baseball Coach Ben Shipp, who also played under Robinson on the first baseball team. “It was a much tougher time. He kind of stood in the breech to make things better for us; the longer I’ve been here, the more I see that. “He was brought here at exactly the right time to do the job for our guys. The story of him being called here for the team to be developed is interesting. That was God’s hand, in His plan, because everything lined up for him to be here, and the long-term influence he’s made here is remarkable.”
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A LUM N I LIFE ’80
Myron Dean Sanders has retired after working 33 years as a certified registered nurse anesthetist and 37 years as a registered nurse. He will now have time for golf and visiting grandkids as well as traveling with his wife.
’88
Elizabeth Davis launched Embrace New Life, LLC, a new faith-based, psychology-informed community-counseling center in Heath, TX. She offers traditional and telehealth counseling for couples in need of dating,
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premarital, relationship, parenting, affair-recovery, and trauma counseling. She also works with pastors and church administrators who are in need of individual, marital, and family counseling. She may be reached at Embrace New Life, LLC, 25 Noble Court, Heath, TX 75032.
Award in January. The CAT is awarded to educators whose students excel in their curriculum-based assessments or other formative test scores. She is a bilingual educator and technology liaison for Hector P. Garcia Dual Language Academy in Temple. Mayra earned her Master of Education degree from Texas State University in educational technology.
’91 ’99 Mayra Velez received the Champions at Teaching (CAT)
Karen Anderson Fincher received her master’s in music education with a concentration in Kodaly pedagogy from Texas State University in San Marcos. She is teaching choir at Ridgeview Middle School in Round Rock ISD.
Got news? We want to hear what's going on in your life! If you have news to share that's happened since April 1, 2018, submit online at life.umhb.edu or send it to: Alumni Relations, UMHB Box 8427, 900 College Street, Belton, Texas 76513 or alumni@umhb.edu. To make a memorial gift, please contact: Development, UMHB Box 8433, 900 College Street, Belton, Texas 76513, 254-295-4601, or give online at giving.umhb.edu
’07 Commencement M a y 5 , 2 018
’03
Kristin Hall-Richardson Zastoupil was elected to serve as the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) President for 2018 to 2019. TSPRA is a 900-member association serving school communications departments across Texas. She previously served four years as a vice president. Kristin is the executive director of Corsicana ISD education foundation and webmaster. She lives in Ennis with her husband, Brendan, and two sons, Bryton and Kolton.
Lindsey Van Dusen Edwards was voted Best of the Best Nurse Practitioner for the Athens Daily Review for the second time.
’08
Carrie Norwood Williams, MBA ’12 is a licensed certified public accountant in the state of Oregon.
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Anthony A. Bowen, MBA ’11 was promoted to the position of chief of the medical administration service at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System.
’12
Brandi Manthei graduated from the University of Miami on Dec. 14 with a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) and a specialty in nurse anesthesia. She is a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in Dallas.
WEDDINGS Christi D’Herde ’11 to Jim Warwick, Nov. 11.
Courtney Gerome ’13 and Tim Trimble ’12, Oct. 21, in Denton. Courtney teaches first grade in Coppell ISD, and Tim is a senior event planner for Mattel.
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Ruth E. Martinez ‘14 to Andrew R. Valverde, Feb. 10, in Spring Branch. Ruth is a registered nurse for Christus Health, and Andrew is a research coordinator for the University of Michigan. They reside in Corpus Christi.
Kathryn Clemmer ’15 and Jacob Bowen ’13, Jan. 13, in Austin.
Autumn Law ’17 and Layton Zinsmeister ’16, Mar. 24. They live in Palm Springs, CA, where Autumn teaches fifth grade and Layton is a pharmaceutical salesman. Bethany Grace Whatley ’17 and Clinton Lee Barrineau ’16, Mar. 10, in Belton. Bethany is employed with Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center in Temple, and Clinton is employed with University High School in Waco.
BIRTHS
Laura Gilbert Voss ’04 and her husband, Jason, announce the birth of their son, Parker Cole, Oct. 12. He joins his three-yearold brother, Easton.
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Brent ’04, MEd ’06, EdD ’14 and Kristin Pearson Burks ’07, MA ’15, announce the birth of their son, Palmer Rhett, Sept. 14. Kennan Neuman Buckner ’10 and her husband, Marcus, announce the birth of their son, Caden Joshua, June 2, 2015. He joins big brother Jaxson. Ashley McLemore Loeve ’11 and her husband, Jacob, announce the birth of their son, Brodie Lee, Jan. 10. He joins big brother Brantly. Tanner ’13 and Kendra Horton Clarke ’13 announce the birth of their son, Josiah Daniel, Mar. 6. Landon ’16 and Janet Holland Grissett ’17 announce the birth of their daughter, Emma Elaine, Dec. 15.
MEMORIAMS Margie Meadows Woodhouse ’40, Dec. 1, in Wayzata, MN. She earned her master’s of business administration from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. She was an active member of American Association of University Women and Elderhostel, hosting more than 100 Elderhostel events in the Twin Cities. Isabelle Pettigrew Drach ex ’42, Mar. 6, in Nashville, AR. Gladys Browning Best ’43, Mar. 1, in Abilene. She taught music at Gladewater Elementary for one year and then earned a master’s degree in religious education from Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. She served as the Young Adult Director at First Baptist Church in Dallas. Gladys taught second grade at Austin Elementary in Abilene for 24 years, authoring a Texas history book for her students titled “Bluebonnets and Prickly Pears.” During her last five years of teaching, she commuted to Denton every week to earn a second master’s degree in library science from Texas Woman’s University. She then worked as a reference librarian for the Abilene Public Library until her retirement at 73 years of age. Louis Carolyn Phillips Wilson ’43, Dec. 24, in Abilene. She was an accomplished artist, potter, sculptor, and elementary school librarian. During World War II she worked at McCloskey Hospital using occupational art therapy to help amputees. After the war, she was an art demonstrator for Milton Bradley, travelling the Southwest. After raising her family, she worked 18 years for Valley View Elementary as a librarian. Lois was a long-time member of Woodlawn Church of Christ.
Mary Jo Smith Edwards ’44, Dec. 27, in Baytown. She was a faithful member at the churches where her husband, Gordon, served as pastor. Her longest tenure was at Meadowbrook Baptist Church of Houston. Throughout the years, she taught children, youth, and adults in Bible study. She served as a leader in the Women’s Missionary Union at both the local church and the Baptist associations. She served in the community through Christian Women’s Job Corps. At the time of her passing, she was a member of First Baptist Church of Highlands. Mary Jo was the grandmother of Erin Edwards ’06 and Brianna Edwards Lee ’11. Joy Agee Strong ’45, Mar. 15, in Galveston. She joined St. Luke’s Methodist Church in 1952 and was honored with the Distinguished Life Award. She served as a Sunday school teacher, Bethel Bible study teacher, Disciple Bible study teacher, Friends at Home communion server, Friends at Home visitor, and member of the Board of Stewards. She was a consistent and knowledgeable delegate to the annual conference of the United Methodist Church. Joy was active in the Blue Bird Circle in Houston and in the Chautuaqua Study Club. Emma Laurel Casso ’46, Mar. 4, in McAllen. She had worked as a high school teacher in Laredo and later worked at her husband’s office in various capacities. Emma had many personal interests. She served as a Sunday school teacher, pianist, and church leader. Betty Lee Miller Waits ex ’47, Mar. 29, in Longview. She was a longtime member of the New Journey Church (formerly First Cumberland Presbyterian Church) where she served as an elder and Sunday school teacher for many years.
Betty Donnelly Bell ’48, Dec. 15, in Atlanta, GA. She was a charter member of Clairmont Hills Baptist Church where she sang in the choir and taught Sunday school.
Deitra Vandiver Hargrove ’71, Feb. 2, in Temple. She was an elementary school teacher in Moody and was a member of First Baptist Church.
Myrna Pachecano Wheeler ex ’55, Jan. 28, in San Antonio. She had a 40-year career as a laboratory technologist, interning at Robert B. Green and working as laboratory supervisor for Baptist Memorial Hospital. She worked at several other hospitals while living across Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Dan B. Phillips ’71, Jan. 20, in Temple. As a leader of the newly formed UMHB men’s group, he welcomed Governor Preston Smith as a member of that organization. He was a recruiter for UMHB and, after receiving a master’s degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, he began working for the Temple Daily Telegram. He also worked as an instructor for Bartlett State Jail.
Jo Branton Butler ’53, Mar. 10, in Stephenville. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the American Association of University Women, and the Zonta Club. She taught school in Austin and in Acoma and Santa Fe, NM. She tutored at a foster home for 15 years and was a missionary with the Baptist Home Mission Board. Mildred Todd Gill ’53, Jan. 21, in Brandon, MS. She had worked as a teacher for 41 years. She was a member of Journey of Faith Church (formerly Johns Baptist Church in Johns, MS) where she served many years as the church’s pianist. Francis Twitty Pittman ’62, Feb. 26, in Belton. She worked as a riveter and inspector at McDonald Douglas and then as a draftsperson at California Ship Yards during World War II. She founded Pittman’s Cleaners with her husband in 1946. Brenda Bean Passwaters ’63, Dec. 5, in Bonham. She earned a double major at UMHB and worked in the medical field in medical billing and coding. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church where she was faithful in Sunday school and volunteered with the Manna House.
Leroy Yates ’72, Jan. 11, in Perkinston, MS. He served more than 13 years in the U.S. Air Force and was awarded three Air Force commendation medals. Upon entering the warrant officer program, Roy served another seven years as a computer specialist while attending UMHB. His second career was in banking, leaving Bank of America after 18 years of service as vice president of information services. He moved back to Mississippi with Hancock Bank in Gulfport for an additional 16 years until his retirement. Dorothy Gale Dunn ’73, July 6, in Dallas. Jerry D. Hargrove ’73, Dec. 5, in Moody. After a 13-year career at KCEN TV, he completed his degree at UMHB and received a master’s degree from Texas A&M University. During his 25 years in the educational field, he was a coach, a teacher, and an administrator. Gladys Ella Chupik, Feb. 24, in Temple. She was the mother of Delores Chupik Williams ’74.
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Virginia Schwane Wallace ’75, Mar. 24, in Belton. She had a rewarding nursing career, which serves as a testament to her commitment of compassion and care for others. Virginia and her husband, Joe, were scouting masters in Irving and Waco and in 1965 traveled with their children to Camp Philmont for leadership training. She was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church in Belton, where she enjoyed her group of friends at the Women’s Ministry and celebrated her 89th birthday with the ’29 Ladies Club at her home. Jeanne Pavoggi, HA ’79, Mar. 2, in Killeen. Seven of her nine children attended UMHB, and Jeanne and her husband, Fred, were presented the Honorary Alumni Award. They also received the Parker Award in 1996. She was an avid fan of UMHB football and loved attending the annual Easter Pageant. She was preceded in death by her daughter Terry Hefner ’73. Her children are Susan Cody ’72, Sharon Wall ’74, Janice Douglas ’78, Donna Talbert ’81, John Pavoggi ex ’79, and son-in-law Dannie Hefner ’74. Gary Wright ’86, Jan. 1, in Warr Acres, OK. He began his teaching and coaching career at Mayfield Middle School and completed his 26 years in education at Northwest Classen High School and Putnam City High School. Susan Mills Tone ’87, Jan. 9, in Granger. She worked for many years for various State Farm Insurance agents, Ron Craft Chevrolet, First Christian Church of Baytown, and Leander ISD. Bobbie Maxwell Kellems ’92, Dec. 6, in Tell City, IN. She earned a bachelor’s degree at the age of 60 from UMHB. She retired as a teacher’s
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assistant at Lott Elementary School. Bobbie was a member of Lott Baptist Church and the Red Hat Society. Joy Ellen Frost, MHS ’97, Mar. 12, in Washington, D.C. She began her professional career as a child protective services caseworker in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and went on to work in the victim assistance, healthcare and disability advocacy fields for more than 35 years in the United States and Europe. Joye served for almost two decades as a dedicated crime victims’ rights advocate and was a visionary leader in the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Joye last served a presidential appointment as the director of the OVC in Washington, D.C. She retired from the U.S. Department of Justice in 2016.
M E MO R I A L S Hudson and Rowena Adams Mary Adams Thurlow Roy Adams Cynthia Moya Janey Roush Lee Aguilar Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens Dick Andres Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis Dr. Sarah Frances Anders Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis Patricia Kay Anderson Dr. Tomme Actkinson Lawton and Peggy Bass Albin Jenny Hansen Gastler Julia Woodyard Nation Dr. Rebecca O’Banion Dr. and Mrs. Randy O’Rear
Joel and Judy Crow Raymond
Sandra Haddick Barfield Carolyn Allison Owens Betty Donnelly Bell Ray Bell Dr. and Mrs. Randy O’Rear Ronald Blow Mark and Betty O’Hair Anderson Frank Burns Kenneth and Eleanor Baylor Tom and Sharon Coyle Ray and Patsy Grace Magic Valley Electric Cooperative McLelland & Russell PLLC Frances Purvis Leonard and Mary Beth Simmons Donna Swinnea Josephine Branton Butler Opal Black Lucinda Wilcoxen Lindsey Case Darius Moore Dr. Kerry and Kathy Owens Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens Amy Corinn Chesnutt Charles and Velma Leverkuhn Chesnutt Gladys Chupik Grady and Jan Tyroch Delores Chupik Williams Mary Frances Clark Frank and Mary Grant Kominowski Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis Laura Cockrell Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis Martha Smirl Cooper Betty Sue Craven Beebe Russell and Donna Branum Dallas Seminary Foundation Charles and Pansy Durtschi Zane Gruznina
IN REME M B R A NC E
Mary Long ex ’63
Jimmie and Lo Ann Henslee Vonie Hopkins Pat Luttrell Mr. and Mrs. Dick Mayfield J. Travis and Carol Nevill Dr. Rebecca O’Banion Dr. and Mrs. Randy O’Rear Dr. LuOuida Vinson Phillips Benny and Cara Reynolds Richard and Vicki Sickles Cleo Smirl Dr. and Mrs. Steve Theodore R.C. and Betty Thrasher Allena Amentrout Tillis-Laird Buddy and Judy White Dr. LaVerne Wong
Mary Long ex ’63, a longtime UMHB faculty member, passed away on Jan. 20, in Belton at the age of 95. After earning a Master of Arts degree from Baylor University in 1965, she began an 18-year career at UMHB, teaching freshman and sophomore English and creative writing, and sponsoring the literary magazine, The Baylorian. Mary organized and served as president of the Central Texas Poetry Society as well as the City Council of PTAs. She was also active at First Baptist Church Belton, teaching Sunday school and serving as president of the Woman’s Missionary Union. After retiring from UMHB in 1983, she wrote four books of genealogy on the Cole, Boone, Farrow, and Long families. In 1997,
she and her husband of 66 years, Will Long, were co-authors of a history of the Nose Brotherhood at Baylor University from its founding in 1926 to 1965. The Central Texas Chapter of the Baylor Alumni Association named Mary as its first Distinguished Baylor Woman in 1994. Mary and Will received the Baylor University Founders Medal in 2004 and the Herbert H. Reynolds Meritorious Service Award in 2005. They also received the UMHB Distinguished Service Award in 1995. She is survived by her four children, Dr. William Farrow Long, Daryl Elizabeth Long Edwards, Dr. Robert John Long, and Dr. Linda Sue Long Fletcher; 12 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
Dr. Mildred Fussell Dr. Lissette Ferlet Carpenter
Emily Kasberg Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens
Karen Keith Gilbert Betty Sue Craven Beebe
John Kelley Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis
Ann Goolsby Julia Woodyard Nation Rev. Dale Gore Carolyn Allison Owens Oscar Grossman Kent Owens Dr. Kerry and Kathy Owens Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens
Nan Langford Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens Frances Lenamon Justin and Julie Crane Lenamon Melba Lorene Lentz Dorothy Stevenson
David Decker Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens
Deitra Vandiver Hargrove Mark and Betty O’Hair Anderson
Charles Lewis Dr. Kerry and Kathy Owens Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens
Isabelle Pettigrew Drach Janie Gavin
Dr. Ray Haywood Stephen and Kari Haywood
Galen and Laela Jo Lindner Gayle Lindner
Gordon and Mary Jo Smith Edwards Betty Sue Craven Beebe
Bill Johnson Carilane Newman Vieregg
Mary Farrow Long Beverly Norwine Adams Mark and Betty O’Hair Anderson
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Caroline Bay Betty Sue Craven Beebe Rick and Stacy Fox Bostick Daughters of the Republic of Texas Sam Houston Chapter Nancy Garner Denise Karimkhani Tom and Jo Ann Lanham Sharon Leiker Max and Mary Lou Marks Dr. Wayne Matthews and Dr. Sandra Oliver Bill and Ann Messer Dr. Rebecca O’Banion Dr. and Mrs. Randy O’Rear Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens Marietta Parker Helen Pickle The Belton Beauties Jo Ann Berna Patsy Britt Fran Callahan Nancy Felix Mary Hooten Judy Norman Susan Shobe Beverly Whiteside Margaret Wright Mickey and Jane Wade
Mary Alice Cowley Marshall Dennis and Jan Davis Schick
Margaret Bales Ratliff John and Jennifer Low
Keith McPherson Penny McPherson
Lois Kaiser Richardson Gary Richardson Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis
Anna Jewell Mercer Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis T. Edward Mercer Paul and Beth Mercer Beck Travis Morris Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis Frank O’Banion Edna O’Banion Guy and Stephanie O’Banion Dr. Rebecca O’Banion Miriam Oliver Carolyn Allison Owens Jeanne Pavoggi Cathy Burkett Cornelio Jerry Priest Pipes Glenn and Ann Pipes Tatum
Lillie Otera Rogers Don and Mary Rogers Kirby Sharon Cunningham Rogers Drs. Robert and Grace Richardson Whitis Tom Russell Kent Owens Dr. Kerry and Kathy Owens Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens Thomas Sanderford, Jr. Conrad and Susan Rodriguez Rickey Sanders Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens Julia Amason Walker John Senterfitt Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens
I N RE M E M B R A N C E
Martha Ella Smirl Cooper ’51
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Martha Ella Smirl Cooper ’51, passed away on March 22 at the age of 87. After graduating from UMHB, Martha took great satisfaction in her work to promote and develop her alma mater. She served in many roles at the university over the years, including as alumni president from 1966-1972, during which she was named as “Outstanding Alumna.” She also served as a member of the Board of Trustees and as chair of the External Affairs Committee. Martha lived in Grand Prairie with her husband, Carroll Clinton Cooper.
She was a champion of education and served as a teacher and substitute teacher for many years in the Grand Prairie Independent School District. She not only taught academically in its schools, but was also a Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church, Grand Prairie for many years. Martha’s Bible teaching impacted all who went through her classes. Martha is survived by her twin sons, Brent Cooper and his wife Karen, and Kent Cooper and his wife Ronda; eight grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Jim Shoemake Brenda Shoemake Ernestine Stovall Robert and Cynthia Stovall Marcotte Karren Tedrow Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens Wayne Thompson Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens Cristel Tomlin Dr. Altrac Ruth Tomlin
Betty Sue Craven Beebe Peggy Bass Albin Catherine Burkett Cornelio Delia Lucky Stephens Mary Sandlin Billeck Eula Woodyard McKown Kelly Boggs Kellie Prinz Johnson Madelyn Book Mary Baucom Victoria Bradbery Mary Baucom
Nancy Tomlin Kent Owens Dr. Kerry and Kathy Owens Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens
Dr. Edna Penny Bridges Cathy Burkett Cornelio Philip and Shellyn Poole
Shafter Tomlin Dr. Altrac Ruth Tomlin
Brooke Brodie-Mends Mary Baucom
Kenneth and Ruby Townsend David and Judy Townsend Bruton
Ellen Muller Brooks Louise Duke Cross
Ruth Tyroch Delores Chupik Williams
Cortney Dunnahoo Bruce Dr. Rebecca O’Banion
Dr. James Van Ness Riley and Carolyn Allison Owens
Scott Walker Cheek Earl and Louise Cheek
Avett Craig Walls Adam and Corinne Walls
Lisa Clement Lisa Martin Scott
Jackie Campbell Way Clifford Way
Adelaide Colwell Ron and Anne Clemons
Nettie Hodge West Lucinda Wilcoxen
Analisa Davila Mary Baucom
B. Jack Whyburn John Sharp
Isaac Felan Mary Baucom
IN HO NO R Peggy Bass Albin Betty Sue Craven Beebe
Caleb Fitzwater Mary Baucom Lauren Allen Gentry Dr. Rebecca O’Banion
MaryAnn Lyons Griffin Betty Sue Craven Beebe Betty Reinhard Hamilton Arlene Hargreaves Rollins Alta Hargreaves Edwards Jane Haywood Stephen and Kari Haywood Dorothy Jean ‘DJ’ Reinhard Hogwood Keith and Pamela Hogwood Wilson Terrie Hunt Brandon and Sara McCain Skaggs Deborah Jones Dani Beth Crosby Rhema Jones Michael Ball Mary Baucom Dr. Rebecca O’Banion Tim and Donna Shrider Kemp Julia Amason Walker Cynthia Schwertner Kirby Marjorie Frank Ferrill Barbara Robertson Knowles Beth Robertson Campbell Lillie Sue Allison May Jeff and Lisa May Bennett Ralph Montgomery II and Shirley Clarke Montgomery Dr. Dillard and Karolyn Norwine Whitis Dr. Randy O’Rear Jeff Smith Dr. and Mrs. Randy O’Rear Jimmy and Melissa Hausenfluke Steve and Teresa James Sandra Sanders Mattson John and Taylor O’Rear Williams
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Elleny Ohendalski Mary Baucom
Dr. Kay Schwertner Psencik Marjorie Frank Ferrill
UMHB Alumni Relations Susan Kolodziejczyk
Doris Goldston Parker Ruth Tucker Hess
Libby Reynolds Thomas and Donna Reynolds Kennedy
UMHB Development Susan Kolodziejczyk
Emily Parker Mary Baucom
Sara Pearson Smith Donnetta Baggett Byrd
Marietta Parker Betty Sue Craven Beebe
Jeff Sutton Dr. Rebecca O’Banion
Emilee Peloquin Heath and Jennifer Stork Peloquin
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Luke Theodore Mary Baucom
UMHB Student Foundation Susan Kolodziejczyk Velma Wiethorn Ted and Allison Wiethorn Smith Hannah Wixson Mary Baucom
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900 College Street • Belton, Texas 76513
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